Thinking about a pump for the first time in 37 years
I have been taking insulin shots for 37 years since being diagnosed at 14. In that entire time I have always resisted getting a pump for many reasons. First because they weren't available and now because they still seem too big and cumbersome. I have been reading here about snagged lines, bad pods, sore sites, not enough sites and all sorts of other reasons for not having one. But on the other side I have also read both here and on the pump company websites of how easy diabetes control would be if you let a pump do it for you. I have done it for myself for a long time. My last A1C was 6.1 of which I was really happy. Before that the best number I had was 6.9 but that was rare. I have been hovering in the 7-8 range and even higher during my crazy teens and college days, but I finally decided to take control of diabetes and started with a frank discussion with the endo in November. Problem with endos is they see you for a total of maybe 30 minutes during the year. 2 - 15 minute appointments. He was not particularly useful so I turned to the CDE who has been fantastic. She switched me from sliding scale (who even uses that anymore ?) to carb counting. I split my Lantus dose myself and also decided to go 70/30 in the morning instead of taking a single shot at night. This simple step changed my average bs from 160 to 125 and A1C from 7.5 to 6.1. Last week I got fitted with a Medtronic IPro to see what kind of glucose excursions were happening at night etc. I know CGMS is the in thing now, but I totally hated it. It started to move around during a golf game and I ended up removing it. I still have a mark on my stomach where the sensor was inserted. I am anxious to see though what the numbers say. So back to my original question. I have looked at the Omnipod and Animas. I am drawn to the tubeless, but 2.4" by 1.6" is still just too large to be wearing anywhere on my body. Thoughts ?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by smileandnod on -
Well said, FHS.
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Permalink Reply by Clare on -
thanks for the info. I am currently wearing a "test pod" to see what I think. So far I think I put it in the wrong place but I will call them tomorrow for a few more test pods. My CDE has said they are coming out with a much smaller version and they confirmed that on the phone today. They are currently getting FDA approval, same 200 unit capacity but 1/3 the size of the current pod. I think I can wait til that comes out.
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Permalink Reply by FHS on -
Yeah, the test pod lasted two hours for me. I put it on my thigh and ripped it off sitting into my computer chair when it caught the armrest on the way down. Turns out, I couldn't even wear a real one on my thigh.
The new pods look nice. When it comes, it comes though. I'm managing well enough with the current pod. The new one will be gravy.
Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Brian Wittman on -
Clare,
My Animas Ping has been life changing. Without the pump, my A1-c was in the high 7 range, and even 8 at one point. Being a LADA diabetic, I wasn't always on the pump or injections, but when things went way south for my control, my sharp endo decided that there was something else wrong. When it was all over, insulin was the only option, and the control became much better. however, I was still running high a lot, not taking shots or test when I should and we decided that a pump would be the best option. It took two attempts for my insurance company to approve it, but it is the best money I have ever spent for life-giving medicine.
I have had no issues with clogged or caught tubing. The 9mm canula does not bother me. I live the meter control and its interface with the pump. The tracking software is wonderful, gives all the information the CDE and endo want and more than I want to know; and it shares directly with their offices, so they con monitor my progress. The Animas pump is claimed to be waterproof to thirty feet for 72 hours (I think), but I take it off for showers and I don't swim. I never hide it, but it could be easily worn under clothing. Sometimes, I find myself checking to be sure it is there. The most noticeable feature that I can see is that I have to change sites about every 2.5 days, versus seven shots each day. Things are so much easier. The training tha tI received from Animas was stellar and the customer service has been wonderful and complete. The company does what it says. Even my doctor visits are less frequent because of added control. I would be hard pressed to go back to shots again.
Sometimes, it's good to be diabetic! ;)
Be well.
Brian Wittman
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Permalink Reply by Brunetta on -
The most noticeable feature that I can see is that I have to change sites about every 2.5 days, versus seven shots each day Here, Here Briann . I was on shots and old school once a day dosages, being diagnosed back in 1968.. so I despised MDI. could not get into the pens. I felt the needles were larger and they hurt more.Skin was getting lumpy and bumpy and was I always sore from taking shots.. I could not match insulin to activity levels; It was inconvenient to never deviate from my planned eating schedule, even on when I was on Lantus. I felt MDI made me limit many life activities and eating choices because I just did not want to pull out another needle!! I felt like a medical doctor carrying all those syringes and the "I have to keep cool" vial of insulin. As the oher posters have abley described.. The learning curve is long, at least 6-months, and I did not use the dual wave or square wave boluses until I had been on the pump 3 years..but I would not go back!! I am pumping 9 years and loving it.
God Bless,
Brunetta
Type one 43 years
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Permalink Reply by Scott Wilkins on -
Clare, I went 40 years on MDI before going to a pump. I should have started a LONG time ago! :) The tube was one of my hold backs. So, I went with Omnipod. I find it smaller than a tubed pump overall, and much easier to handle than I thought. I wore a demo unit for a while, call Insulet and ask them to send you a demo unit. It's a non-operating pump you can just wear for a couple days to see what you think. I wore a couple demos before I started real-time with pumping. That taught me a lot about how it wears and how to treat it. The first demo pod I wore, withing a few hours I had knocked it into door frames and corners 'til it fell off. I don't wear the pod in that way now that I'm pumping, and have yet to knock one like I did that demo unit. I can't imagine getting a tube yanked! Ouch!
Anyway, get to pumping ASAP is my advise. Oh, and the Omnipod will have a new pod later this year that's about 30% smaller. I wanted to wait until that one, but decided to get busy right away, as I'd already waited too long.
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Permalink Reply by Clare on
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Thanks Scott, I have already tried out the demo pod and found that it was a bit big and heavy. I put it on my stomach and played tennis with it on and it was obviously not a good placement choice because I pulled it off within a few hours but the adhesive is really quite impressive. It is definitely the one I will eventually go with but I am ok with MDI until the newer, lighter, sleeker, model comes out. I have spoken with the people at Insulet which incidently is literally down the street from my house and they have offered to loan me a working pod for a couple of weeks if I want to try it out but I still think I want to wait for the smaller version. It is already available in Europe of couss, but should be out soon here. The company is very responsive and I already feel like one of the family there. At least I can get the paperwork started and even that shouldn't be a big deal as my insurance company covers pumps 100% so the only expense for me will be a copay on the insulin to put in it. I currently have at least 3 months worth of humalog and lantus pens and I would rather that up as well.
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Permalink Reply by Don on -
You sure are easy-going about the wait. If I had 100% coverage, I wouldn't wait!
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Permalink Reply by Clare on
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Having never tried a pump it's fairly easy for me to be patient because I really don't know what I am missing. I do know I did not like how the OmniPod felt on my stomach in it's current style so I am more than happy to wait for the new one.
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